Clair's Dream

"I am proud to have been born and raised a Jew," Clair said, as she softened the folds of her sari. "I want all of my ladies to feel that way."

"All of her ladies" were 35 women who comprise Hadassah Chavruta, a women's group that Clair had founded. The group would meet regularly to read and study the Torah, sing Hebrew songs and Psalms, visit the elderly, and organize family activities and special events for Jewish women. Though they came from different backgrounds and age groups, they shared a common love for their Jewish heritage and a commitment to their community.

An energetic and caring leader, Clair's one great sadness stemmed from the frustration voiced by women who could not join Hadassah Chavruta because JDC's office was not near the Western railroad. They were literally cut off from this life-affirming experience by lack of transportation. "But I have hope," Elizabeth said. "One day, we will have a community center near the railroad stations, and my sisters throughout the Mumbai/Thane region will be able to join my ladies as we plan new programs for our community."

In 1999, Clair's dream was realized. JDC opened the Evelyn Peters Jewish Community Center by the Western railroad in Mumbai. Now, hundreds of Indian Jews - young and old - are able to renew their connection to Jewish communal life.